The price of death
by Anime Freak 82
Summary: Is there something beyond death? something that no one knows about until it is to late? Isabelle wonders this herself but when she has to pick between her brother Alois and Ciel who saved her life will she make the right choice? or will her love for both of them drive her to the edge?
1. Chapter 1

I have always wondered how people live with pain. I quietly sit in my room waiting knowing that someday death will find its way to my door. I see now that maybe death is not scary but peaceful. Like floating in a dark ocean floating to god knows where. I thought that life was simple. You live, you love, and you die. I never thought there was something else beyond dying something no one knows about. But I now see that these special things happen to ordinary people like me. You start out great but things become different almost distant and you realize that you are slowly drifting away from the people you love and the things you hate. Soon life will decide that you did what you could and it is now time to move on. I sit back and wait for that one day to happen. Wait for the ground to slip out from beneath me and I fall into a never-ending vortex that people call death. But it is not always that easy. Not always so peaceful.

I am Isabelle downing and this is my story on life's greatest challenge, Death. My story is a little different from the others. Mine includes things that seem odd and non-existent. But is it really that hard to believe? Does everything have to come to an end?

I will start with some basics. I am a thirteen year old girl who is very unsocial. I live with my brother Alois in a manor at the end of the woods. We have a butler named Claude who shows no emotion at all. We also have a maid named Hannah who is so nice and sometimes I see her have scars but I don't know why she has them. Then we have the triplets named Thompson, Timber and Cantebury. They never talk out loud only whisper to each other but that is why I like them.

This morning was just like any other. Hannah dressed me in my short dress that Alois picked out for me. I walked down stairs to see Alois seated at the table picking through his food and Claude hovering over him waiting for the next job. Alois stands when he sees me enter the room. I walk over and hug him good morning. I take a seat a cross from him. The one thing I do not understand about my brother is that he always asks why I am sad but he insists on keeping me locked up in the house.

Claude hands me a plateful of food and I do my best to smile at him. "Well I have some business to take care of today so I will be gone." Alois says looking straight at me. "Oh well um I wanted to know if I can take a walk around the town today?" I ask not wanting to be locked up here any longer. He was going to say no but he nods and says only if I take Hannah with me. He walks out of the room. I slowly push the untouched plate away from me.

Claude walks over to me with his usual emotionless face and says "Miss Isabelle you have not ate anything for a three days. I think you should eat something it is not good for you not to." I roll my eyes and push the chair away from the table. "Claude if I don't want to eat I will not eat. Don't you have to go bow down to Alois or something?" I turn and run upstairs again. When I get to my room I collapse on my bed. My stomach growled but I push the feeling away.

I look at myself in the mirror and noticed that I have lost a lot of weight since I have been on my "diet" that consists on not eating for countless days. I sigh and head to the door to met Hannah for my walk. A wave of dizziness crashed over me but I just closed my eyes and headed out the door with Hannah following right behind me.


	2. Meting him

I walk around thinking of how little kids know about the pain and suffering in the world. There bright personality clueless of how horrible life is. I only hope that when the time comes for them to face the truth they are prepared. I was not ready for the burst of pain that the earth has in store for us. I found it out so young when my parents died. It only gets worse as you get older. You are heart breaks into a million pieces and more people make their way to the edge of fate. It all ends with black. But if you are like me it is always black from start to finish. Can there be another brighter color in this world that over powers everything else? Or is black all I am going to get. Darkness is coming closer I can feel it.

My heels clicked ageist the ground. It reminded me of a clock ticking down the seconds till the world stops spinning. I looked over at Hannah who had a bandage over her eye. "Hannah how do you get all those scars and what happened to eye?" I ask trying not to stare at anything for too long. "I am very clumsy." She answers in a small voice afraid to talk too loud. I sigh and walk a little ahead of her. I look over to see a child crying on the curb. I was about to go and comfort the child when I body run into mine. I stumble back but a hand steadies me. "I am so sorry." A young male with dark hair says. "No I should have been paying more attention." I say shyly dusting of the bottom of my dress with my hand.

I look up and catch his eyes. I stare into them seeing the fighting sorrow in them. The moment seems to go on forever. The wave of dizziness crashes over me again but this time it was stronger. I seemed to pull me under. I fell the cold ground hit me then darkness. But I could tell I was not dead just unable to move.

I open my eyes to see a bright white light shining in my eyes. I blink fast trying to get used to the brightness. When it fades I see that there is a tall man dressed in a suit is setting a plate of food next to me. "Why you are awake good. I brought you some tea and food." He helps me sit up and he places a plate full of delicious food on my lap. I look away just as my stomach growls. I push it away and look up at the man "I am not hungry." He frowns at me and for a moment he reminds me of Claude. "Yes you are you just don't want to eat. Like a kind of diet. Madam you really need to eat." I sigh and pick up the fork. I pick up small amount of food and eat it. My stomach instantly feels better. I gulp down more food in the best manor I could manage.

When I finish I look up to see the man dressed in black smiling at me. I look down at my stomach. It showed no sign of any weight gain. There was the click of the door opening. I looked to see the same young male that I saw before I passed out. I sat up and asked "You were the one I saw before…before I pass out." I say trying to remember what happened. "Yes I am Ciel Phantomhive." He bowed slightly. "I am Isabelle downing." He nods and helps me off the bed.

He takes me for a tour of the house while asking me questions about myself. "What do you do in your free time?" he asks walking me out into the garden. "Well I love to write. My step brother does not let me out of the house a lot so I have a lot of free time." I hear him laugh. After many more questions about me he finally says "Wow I find that we have a lot of things in common. But I think your step brother would be worried about you so I should get you-"

Ciel was interrupted by a crashing sound he stands up and runs inside. I follow him in and am surprised to see Ciel's butler named Sebastian in the kitchen standing with another man in black. It was Claude. I look over more to see he is not alone. "Alois, is that you?!" I exclaim running over to him. "Isabelle I thought you were supposed to be home not at Ciel's house!" he wraps me in a hug. I look over to see Ciel staring in shock. "Ciel this is my step brother Alois."

Alois looks at me and starts to explain. "He knows me already. Isabelle remember when I told you that there is a man that is my enemy. That is him." He points at Ciel. I shook my head. "But Alois I fainted in the road and Ciel took me into his house and took care of me." Alois did not seem convinced. He grabbed my hand and dragged me home. The whole way he was punishing me for every going to see him. I winced as he tightened his grip on my wrist. "Alois stop you are hurting me!" I see him turn to me and let go of my wrist. "Go up too your room and don't come out until I tell you to."

I nod and run upstairs. I run to the mirror and see that my makeup is smeared. I take a napkin and wipe it away. All of a sudden the ground started to shake. I lost my foot leaving me to fall ageist the mirror breaking it. I felt a sharp pain stab my arm. I push away from the wall only to see that shards of glass cut through my arm. Blood dripped down it. It slowly stained the carpet with a scarlet red. I fell to my knees holding my arms. Tears started to well in my eyes but I blink the away. I can feel the warm blood slid in between my fingers. Sharp points of glass still sticking out of my arms scrap my palm.

There was a knock on the door. And Alois walks in. "Isabelle we should talk." He says before noticing that I am on the floor hugging my bloody arm. He looks down at me. His eyes widen and he turns out of the room. I could hear his feet pounding on the floor as he runs for Claude. He gets back in with Claude by his side. Claude kneels down and looks closely at my arm. He raises his other hand and reaches for a piece of glass that is half way out of my skin. He yanks it out and I scream in pain. "I am sorry but they need to come out." He says emotionless as always. I know I look terrified but I yank my arm out of his grip and slowly back away.

"Get out of my sight! All of you go leave me here alone!" I scream standing back up. I run out of the room squeezing past Claude who is still on the floor and Alois who is calling my name. I dash down the steps and out the front door. I head to the woods. I don't look back.

I run for what seems like an hour when I see a big white mansion. I stop in front of it and look down at my arm. It was worse than I had thought it was. Some bone was visible. I cry out silently and hurry to the front door. I knock on it and hope the owner is home. It opens and I am surprised to see Sebastian standing at the door. "Sebastian oh thank god. Please help me!" I hold up my arm as best I could. He steps out and gently pushes me inside. When I am inside I hear Ciel call from upstairs. "Sebastian, who is at the door?" he walks down the steps and his words seem to hang in the air when he sees me. By that time Sebastian already has the first aid kit and is opening it.

I must have seem as tired as I am because I was quickly seated and Ciel look over at me and asked "Did Alois do this to you? Because I _can_ kill him." I shook my head but a bolt of pain co=aught me in my tracks. Oh please let the pain subside.


	3. Bad brother

Why must hate be pasted down? Why must the pain continue through generations? They world seems so small to hate people you don't even know. Think of the place that puts us. I have to decide from my own brother who leaves me locked in my room clueless of how I suffer and Ciel who saved me not from death from the pain of home. I can only hope that someone soon finds out that I am not just a rag doll that can be tossed around with no thought. Hope that someone cares for me. If not, I will soon be done with myself. Done with the hatred and done with life. Was what I thought was true really true? Or am I living in a lie? Whatever it is better be solved soon because I am not strong. This rope that is holding me to this world is wearing down and will soon break, leaving me to die a death that was supposed to come later. Will someone fix it? Will someone bind the broken cord? Or will I be forced to cut my life short?

My arm was bandaged up and my blood is already staining the cloth. The silence was unbearable. "Thank you for helping me with my arm." I say looking down the blood slowly seeping through. "How did this happen? And why _did_ you come here?" Ciel asks looking up at me. I sigh and lift my head. "Alois locked me in my bedroom. I was looking in the mirror when the ground started to shake. The mirror broke when I fell on it. Alois came in with Claude. When Claude was looking at my arm there was something different. The way he looks at the blood, it was like he enjoyed watching me bleed. Enjoyed the pain it brought me. I was scared and I ran into the woods. I was not trying to come here it was just the first house I saw. Don't worry you helped me enough I will show myself out."

I stand up and thank Sebastian then walk over the door. "Where are you going to go? I am sure you won't go home." Ciel calls out behind me. I feel a hand on my shoulder and turn around quickly only to see Ciel. "I am throwing a dance tonight. Why don't you come?" a smile slid a crossed my face. "I would love that. See you tonight." I turn and walk out the door that seems to separate me from the world.

As I start to head back into the dense woods I wonder how much I will be yelled at for running off and if I should tell Alois about the party. I finally reached the Trancy manor. I take a deep breath and open the door. Alois sees me and runs over. "Isabelle! Why the hell did you run off?! I thought you were bleeding to death in the woods!" Alois yelled at me. "I just got scared and I ran. I am fine, see." I hold up my arm showing the cloth wrapped around it. "I am going to a party tonight." I say heading to my room to search for something to wear.

"Oh no you're not, you are staying in this house even if I have to tie you up!" he exclaimed. I ignored him and dashed to my room, slamming the door behind me. I ripped through my closet dropping everything on the floor. Finally I find a dark blue dress with white lacing. It ends in the middle of my shine showing off part of my legs. The lace sleeves come down to my wrists taking some of the attention off my bandaged arm. I look into my broken mirror trying to see how I look. I give up and start to put my hair up in a bun when there was a knock on the door.

"Go away." I call to person behind the door. "Miss Isabelle, dinner is ready come down stairs." It was Claude. I stick a blue rose in the bun to hold it in place. "I am not hungry, now leave!" I call getting really irritated. I hear footsteps as he walks away from the door. A throbbing pain builds in my head. My stomach growls but I put it aside.

There was a loud click as the door to Alois's bedroom closes. I take this chance to open my door and hurry down stairs trying not to make a lot of noise. I was almost to the door when I see the triplets whispering to each other. "They won't tell anyone if I leave, only each other." I say to myself and hurry out the door.


	4. Dancing to death

Some are scared of death but what about those who want it? Why must death be so hard to accomplish but when you want to live you die? I want to bleed and let out the pain. I want the black to seep into me, stopping my breathing and my heart. If I want to die why do you have to stop me? Lock me up and torture me but won't let me go. They make you bleed but fix the wounds just in time. Why? Is it because I am weak? Is it because they like when I am in pain? Is there anyone who cares enough to stop the pain? Anyone who actually wants me? Anyone who loves me?

When I arrive some guest were piling in. I join the crowd and try to blend in. I walk in with my head down. When I get inside I look up to see some people staring at me. I look down to see they are looking at my dress. There was a tap on my shoulder I turn to see a tall man in a white suit. "It is a shame to see a pretty lady like you alone. Would you like to dance?" he puts his out and bows slightly. "Oh, no I couldn't –"he grabs my hand and pulls me into the middle of the room. He places a hand on my waist and another is still gripping my hand. "Now is so bad?" He asked twirling me in a small circle.

"Not really considering you dragged me here and forced me to dance." I point out turning away from him. He pulls me closer to him. I look straight only to see white fabric. Damn my shortness. I try to push away but he squeezes my hand so hard that it was going to break. I wince quietly at the pain and close my eyes. He lets go of my hand and I look to see Ciel standing next to us. I place my hurt hand in the other and check to see if I broke any. Lucky they were all fine.

The tall man left and left me and Ciel. "Thanks I think he was about to break my hand." I say turning to face Ciel. He laughed slightly. "Well now that would be a bad thing. Since we both are here do you want to dance?" he puts his hand out just the other guy but there was something nicer about the way Ciel did it. "I would love to." I put my hand in his and he takes the lead.

We dance for what seems like hours. Then the night was over. People piled out and I was the last one. "Thank you for a great evening. I haven't had fun for a long time. I walked out the door only to see a familiar carriage in the drive way. "Oh no, Oh God no." the door opened and Alois climbed out. "Isabelle I thought I told you not to come to the party!" he says not shocked to see me here. "So why should I listen to you? You not even my full brother! All you do is lock me up all day and you never noticed that I have not eaten for days!" I state turning to the woods and walking towards it. I looked back only when Ciel shouted my name. Claude was running towards me with inhuman speed. I twisted out of his reach.

"Why don't you stay little sister? It will be a fun sight when I kill your little friend Ciel." I gasp but I don't scream. Then the fight began the ugly bloody fight, with Sebastian fighting Claude and Alois fighting Ciel. I just stood frozen watching the mayhem. Then what seems like the shocking end.

Alois held a different sword behind him and was about to stab Ciel. "No one can die." I whisper to myself. "No one but me." I ran forward. Nobody looked at me or paid attention. Ciel was thrown ageist the wall. Alois slowly raised the sword up. It came down fast but I was faster. I slid between the sharp point and Ciel. The pain spread quickly. I feel to my knees blood pouring out of me and onto the ground. I feel backwards into someone's arms. I looked down to see the sword still lodged in my ribs. Every breath felt like I was getting stabbed again and again. I closed my eyes. "Soon the pain will subside. Soon the darkness will find me. Death is here waiting for me. My last breath will come and go. Even though my life was full of broken hearts and disappointment I enjoyed my last dance with you Ciel. Thank you."

I felt my heart slow and then just as I imagined the darkness poured in to me taking over my body. I felt free and I was drifting off to nowhere. Good bye pain. Goodbye life.


End file.
